Last Call for a Marathon of The Ministry of Mundane Mysteries
More than two years after it began, The Ministry of Mundane Mysteries is finally shutting its doors. For their final chapter, the team behind Outside the March’s immersive gem is taking the phrase “it’s a marathon, not a sprint” to another level.
That’s right. The inspectors will have their final hurrah in Last Call: A Mundane Mysteries Marathon, an epic improvised show delivered around the world. After 31 months of mystery-solving, the grand finale of the phone-based immersive production will be a day-long extravaganza. Running from 7 p.m. on Dec. 9 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 10, the final iteration of the show offers more mysteries, more surprises, and more inspectors than ever before.
Last Call: A Mundane Mysteries Marathon is a one-on-one improvised experience delivered via phone. The crack team of investigators is reknowned for making the mundane magical, crafting custom experiences with care and humour.
Designed to employ artists during the pandemic, The Ministry of Mundane Mysteries began just two weeks into lockdown. It was a collaborative effort, created by a team of eight artists: Nick Blais, Katherine Cullen, Mitchell Cushman, Anahita Dehbonehie, Colin Doyle, Sébastien Heins, Amy Keating, and Griffin McInnes. Since 2020, the production has paid over $150,000 to more than thirty artists through uncertain times.
They’ve solved mysteries for more than 1200 households in every Canadian province and across every continent. Playing for frontline workers, families, and classrooms, audiences have immersed themselves in over two hundred cities in 23 countries. Along the way, the Ministry forged international partnerships with Chicago’s Bramble Theatre, Lima’s Animalien Theatre, and the Thespo Festival in Mumbai. They’ve also collaborated with countless Canadian theatres and festivals, including the SOUND OFF Festival and Théatre DesAssimilés.
In a departure from the company’s recent performances, the marathon finale will be an ensemble experience, with multiple performers appearing on every call. Directed by OtM’s founding artistic director Mitchell Cushman, and creative producer Griffin McInnes, Last Call: A Mundane Mysteries Marathon will feature more performers than ever. Veteran improvisers Jamie Cavanagh, Francis Melling, and Jonathan Shaboo will each be pulling a full, 24-hour shift of immersive fun. Joining them are Madeleine Brown, Shannon Currie, Florian François, Pat Gourdeau, Sébastien Heins, Thurga Kanagasekarampillai, Caitlin McConkey-Pirie, Rafael Rogers, and Connor Yuzwenko-Martin.
Audiences can expect cameos from past performers, or perhaps a call from one of the Ministry’s international bureaus in Lima or Chicago. Who will show up is a mystery, and that’s half the fun!
As per usual, audiences can sign up for a 1-hour performance experience delivered right to their telephones. This time around, OtM is offering a limited number of experiences in French or in ASL via Zoom.
With tickets at only $10, you won’t want to miss out on this customised, improvised, and family-friendly experience. After all, this is your last call — at least, for now.
To find out more about Last Call: The Ministry of Mundane Mysteries Marathon and to buy tickets, visit Outside the March’s website.
Jessica Watson
Jessica is a former associate editor at Intermission, as well as a writer, classically-trained actor, and plant enthusiast. Since graduating from LAMDA in the UK with her MA in acting, you can often find her writing screenplays and short plays in the park, writing extensive lists of plant care tips, or working on stage and screen (though she uses a stage name). Jessica freelances with various companies across Canada, but her passion lies in working with theatre artists and enthusiasts.
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